I can't wait to have a party to debut this bad boy.

While home ownership is quite rewarding, there is nothing worse that pouring money into a very unglamourous project.  We have lived in our house for 3 years and it seems that the practical projects had the priority over the cool projects.  First we had to fix the Mr Wizard version of central air conditioning that some Macgyver rigged in the attic.  Then, the funky furnace with charm had to go and now...wait for it...we are getting a new driveway!  Apparently ours is cracked, lumpy and such so it needs to be fixed.  I can't wait to have a party to debut this bad boy.  It is going to be a couple more years before I can gut my kitchen (and blow out the single car garage) and make it bigger.

This project is being spearheaded by Ching--he is calling around for estimates and I am there to agree on what we are paying for (and rolling my eyes on the inside).  Last night we got the first estimate.  Keep in mind, the budgeted figure on the spreadsheet is $5500.  (The driveway is small yet steep.)
CCW:  "So listen to this.."
JCW:  Oh Jesus, you sound too excited to talk about tar.
CCW:  "The guy from Company X came over tonight to measure and look at the job.  You have seen the company around right?"
JCW:  "Sure."  Oh course this must mean reputable.  C'mon, JCW stop being such a bitch.
CCW:  "And he said hat he could do our driveway and rip out the shrubs and basketball hoop for $3300."
JCW:  "Great--$2200 saved!"  Like someone smiled on me stop being a bitch.  (I didn't tell you this--we have this decrepit, rusted basketball hoop at the top of our driveway.  I think back in the 1970's some kid thought he would be the next Dr. J--yeah, the hoop is that old.  The hoop post is surround by this thick bush that seems to be the favorite of the family of squirrels that torment Ching.)
CCW:  "Well, wait a minute..."
JCW:  Oh shit...
CCW:  "He can also re-do the walkway up to the front door like the neighbors.  You know how they have the raised brick."
JCW:  "Yes."  I am not blind.
CCW:  "And..."
JCW:  AND?!  Have you seen how little counter space I have in the kitchen when I am making your God damn dinner?  Why can't we save for that...freakin' raised brick.
CCW:  "He can put this blue stone on the front stairs in this pattern..."
JCW:  I didn't realize that we were going for the mosaic Native American look.
CCW:  "All in, we are looking at $6000."
JCW:  We went from saving $2200 to overspending by $500 on two items that we weren't even considering before today?  I hope you don't think my silence is agreement.
CCW:  "Let's think about this for a bit."
JCW:  Think about it all you want.  Fiddle with that spreadsheet.  I know what the answer is.

Perhaps hamburgers and hot dogs for the driveway debut?  I mean, it is just the driveway...